Abitibi-Témiscamingue Trip Planning

[Spanky]

Gaspe trip is booked, now on to our northern Quebec trip.  Here is the plan (assuming the new motel is open in Matagami):

 

Trailer to Temiscaming

Temiscaming-Val’Dor 310km

Val’Dor-Matagami 307 km

Matagami-Chibougamou 403 km

Chibougamou-Senneterre 365 km

Senneterre-Ville Marie 307 km

Ville Marie-Temiscaming 100 km trailer home.

 

Some questions:

1.  Is the Canadienne still open in Temiscaming?  Any other places to stay, preferable with restaurant.

2.  Recommendatios on where to stay in Senneterre and Vill-Marie?

 

Thanks folks!

[scottyr]

Good trip but the ride to Chibougamou is a snoozefest.    Not sure I would want to ride it 2 days in a row but its up to you.

 

Motel Louise in VM is fine.    Just a motel but restaurant attached.   

 

TemRose in Temiskaming is my go to.    Decent restaurant right across the street.     They will let you park there for a week no problem as well.   

[Gadgetman]

By New Hotel Matagami, do you mean the Microtel; if so it just started construction this past summer. pretty sure I read current open plan is "around" 2026 - Summer. 

[Spanky]

Its called Hotel Matag in the FCMQ interactive map.

[Spanky]

14 minutes ago, scottyr said:

TemRose in Temiskaming is my go to.    Decent restaurant right across the street.     They will let you park there for a week no problem as well.   

 

Is there breakfast available there or nearby?

[scottyr]

Just now, Spanky said:

 

Is there breakfast available there or nearby?

 

Yes.    Great restaurant right across the street.    Owned by the same people.  

 

[scottyr]

Here is a great route without going to Chibougamou

 

This is my go - to loop in that area but I prefer to start in Ville Marie just becuse the rail line from Temiskaming is boring AF.    

 

 

 

[stoney]

44 minutes ago, scottyr said:

Good trip but the ride to Chibougamou is a snoozefest.    Not sure I would want to ride it 2 days in a row but its up to you.

 

Motel Louise in VM is fine.    Just a motel but restaurant attached.   

 

TemRose in Temiskaming is my go to.    Decent restaurant right across the street.     They will let you park there for a week no problem as well.   

Agreed - the ride into from the west is not a highlight, especially back to back, but its riding!

 

93 down the east side is much and better and then across 83 on the bottom.....maybe add another day and do the Chiboug loop!

[scottyr]

3 hours ago, Spanky said:

Gaspe trip is booked, now on to our northern Quebec trip.  Here is the plan (assuming the new motel is open in Matagami):

 

 

What route did you decide on for Gaspe?     We are tentatively booked for the 1st week of Feb for that run.  

[Spanky]

5 minutes ago, scottyr said:

 

What route did you decide on for Gaspe?     We are tentatively booked for the 1st week of Feb for that run.  

 

This is what we decided on:

February 28:  Drive to Riviere Du Loup

March 1:  Riviere Du Loup to Matane, 260 km

March 2:  Matane to Mont Saint Pierre, 235 km

March 3:  Mont Saint Pierre to Gaspesie, 172 km

March 4:  Gaspesie to Chandler, 172 km

March 5:  Chandler to Le Relais de la Cache, 244 km

March 6:  Le Relais de la Cache to Amqui, 204 km

March 7:  Amqui to Riviere du Loup, 262 km

March 8:  Riviere du Loup to Home.

[Spanky]

2 hours ago, stoney said:

Agreed - the ride into from the west is not a highlight, especially back to back, but its riding!

 

93 down the east side is much and better and then across 83 on the bottom.....maybe add another day and do the Chiboug loop!

 

Using that route but including Chibougamou loop, where would you stay?  Is there a place to stay in Clova?

 

[stoney]

1 hour ago, Spanky said:

 

Using that route but including Chibougamou loop, where would you stay?  Is there a place to stay in Clova?

 

Yes, there is a place in Clova - same folks that own the restaurant own the "motel" just up the road.....this should be the number +1-819-662-3327.

It is a very basic lodging, rooms with a few beds, general area with TV, wood stove, shared bathroom, shower, etc......

 

Are you wondering about other places as well around the loop?

[stoney]

Here is a google a map of it.....if it works......

Auberge Restaurant Clova - Google Maps.pdf

[grover_yyz]

9 hours ago, scottyr said:

Here is a great route without going to Chibougamou

 

This is my go - to loop in that area but I prefer to start in Ville Marie just becuse the rail line from Temiskaming is boring AF.    

 

 

 

A friend and I would like to do a Quebec trip and starting at Ville-Marie sounds like a great start location. Can you recommend a 5 to 7 day trip for experienced riders?

 

Jerry

[scottyr]

1 hour ago, grover_yyz said:

A friend and I would like to do a Quebec trip and starting at Ville-Marie sounds like a great start location. Can you recommend a 5 to 7 day trip for experienced riders?

 

Jerry

 

Sure.    I know that area quite well.   

 

How many guys?     Let me know how many kms you want to ride in a day and what your priorities are and I can put something together for you with accomodation recommendations and places to eat etc...    I try to plan my trips so we are back at the hotel just before dark and find myself sitting in the warm up shacks having "fellowship" with my buddies.   😂.     The killer 500kms days are behind me.    I can do them, but just choose not to anymore.   

 

 

 

 

[grover_yyz]

21 hours ago, scottyr said:

 

Sure.    I know that area quite well.   

 

How many guys?     Let me know how many kms you want to ride in a day and what your priorities are and I can put something together for you with accomodation recommendations and places to eat etc...    I try to plan my trips so we are back at the hotel just before dark and find myself sitting in the warm up shacks having "fellowship" with my buddies.   😂.     The killer 500kms days are behind me.    I can do them, but just choose not to anymore.   

 

 

 

 

So far just two of us. Our riding style sounds like yours. Done by dark, a few rest spots and nice places to eat. Travel distance is unknown as trail conditions are unknown to me. I rode in Kap may years ago and the trails are wide and fast. My riding in Kawarthas is narrow and slow and I have done 250 to 300km in a day and that seems like a workout.

We are still in early planning stage, mainly just talking about it. I just want to be prepared with an idea where to go. I can message you privately unless other want to see the plan as well. Thanks for your offer to help. 

[Spanky]

Post it here guys, very helpful discussion.

[scottyr]

On 11/26/2025 at 9:35 PM, grover_yyz said:

So far just two of us. Our riding style sounds like yours. Done by dark, a few rest spots and nice places to eat. Travel distance is unknown as trail conditions are unknown to me. I rode in Kap may years ago and the trails are wide and fast. My riding in Kawarthas is narrow and slow and I have done 250 to 300km in a day and that seems like a workout.

We are still in early planning stage, mainly just talking about it. I just want to be prepared with an idea where to go. I can message you privately unless other want to see the plan as well. Thanks for your offer to help. 

 

All good.    DM me or you can email me scott "at" scottrocher.ca 

 

 

 

[stoney]

Here are a couple of runs done in the last few years up to Chiboug.....need to carry gas heading south east out of Chiboug towards Saint Felicien, or visa versa.

 

Did this run the other year around Chiboug......mostly easy days, I think the longest day was into Kanawata, came in at dark and had a hard time finding the trail down the road into their lodge.....starting snowing heavy, visibility at night was very bad.

1. Senneterre to Chiboug - Motel Nordic.
   1. add the extra day and run from Ville Marie to Val-d'or or to Senneterre on day 1, it might look like long km into Chiboug, but it is a super fast run along the rail line.
2. Chiboug to Saint Felicien - Hotel du Jardin
3. Saint Felicien to La Tuque - Pourvoirie Kanawata
4. La Tuque to Clova - Auberg Clova
5. Clova to Senneterre

 

And this is another run around the same loop but starting in Shawinigan instead due to a a half way meeting point for the group.

1. Shawinigan to La Tuque - Pourvoirie Kanawata
2. La Tuque to Senneterre - Pourvoirie Du Lac Faillon 
3. Senneterre to Lebel-sur-Quévillon - Motel Du Lac
4. Lebel-sur-Quévillon to Chiboug - Hôtel Chibougamau
5. Chiboug to Saint Felicien - Hotel du Jardin
6. Saint Felicien to La Tuque - Outfitter Lac Dumoulin
7. La Tuque to Shawinigan

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

8 hours ago, stoney said:

Pourvoirie Du Lac Faillon 

Has the restaurant improved in the last couple of years? It used to be awesome but during and just after Covid it went downhill badly. Seamed more like a poor cafeteria than a restaurant.

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

9 hours ago, stoney said:

• Senneterre to Lebel-sur-Quévillon - Motel Du Lac
• Lebel-sur-Quévillon to Chiboug - Hôtel Chibougamau

Those are a couple of short days aren't they?  Lac Faillon to Quevillon on direct route is just over 200 km. Quevillon to Chibougamau is about 275km. but only a 4 hour ride.

[stoney]

1 hour ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

Has the restaurant improved in the last couple of years? It used to be awesome but during and just after Covid it went downhill badly. Seamed more like a poor cafeteria than a restaurant.

If I recall, the last two times I was there still microwave dishes, continental breakfast, etc…

so no improvements…I’d say here to stay. 

9 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

Those are a couple of short days aren't they?  Lac Faillon to Quevillon on direct route is just over 200 km. Quevillon to Chibougamau is about 275km. but only a 4 hour ride.

Lol, yep…some shorter days no doubt. 

The reality is the number of km on a sheet does not always dictate how long the day might be based on other factors you don’t count on, so I now mix up the days with some decent days and longer days based on accommodations and route knowing that one day might be more then expected so there is a break in there so to speak…if we have a shorter day km wise we either spend a bit more time doing breakfast, stop for longer lunches or just arrive early and chill.

The days of pounding the miles on are in the past, not everyone still wants that - try to keep all happy. 
 

a little while ago I mapped out a day ride from Val-d’or to chiboug, well the ride to Quev ended up to be a challenge and a late start due to issues with sleds not starting due to extreme cold, etc….everyone was not happy about rolling into chiboug so late and complained, so we rerouted that trip and stayed/looped around abitibi region instead….so I adjusted what my expectation were for a day ride vs what others were when I planned rides after that 😂

[PISTON LAKE CRUISER]

1 hour ago, stoney said:

If I recall, the last two times I was there still microwave dishes, continental breakfast, etc…

so no improvements…I’d say here to stay. 

It's a great place to stay at, too bad the food situation has gone downhill.

[stoney]

15 minutes ago, PISTON LAKE CRUISER said:

It's a great place to stay at, too bad the food situation has gone downhill.

 

A few places thar are still great otherwise have been:

• Outfitter Lac Dumoulin - overall great with cabins and main building, getting to it is a bit unique with their own trail they groom
• Relais 22 - simple sleeping arrangement but great night life atmosphere at the bar and food
• Auberg Clova - simple sleeping arrangement, but nice atmosphere in the restaurant in a quaint small town
• Pourvoirie Kanawata - same, simple cabins but great atmosphere in the restaurant
• Hôtel Chibougamau - is kind of neat right on the main drag, awesome bar right next door
•  

[coldfinger]

A beauty destination north of La Sarre called Le Poste is  on top of our list when in the area . Ginnett has the french hospitality nailed .